Latch mechanism

Abstract

A latch mechanism comprises a latch member having a latch portion having spaced recess walls defining a recess. One of the recess walls is disposed across a keeper bar receiving slot in the path of a keeper bar entering the slot for rotation of the latch member to a latch position against the force of a latch spring, while the opposite recess wall being positioned to move across the keeper bar receiving slot behind the keeper bar as the latch member moves to the latched position to confine the keeper bar within the slot. The opposite recess wall has a slanted face which when the latch member is in the latched position contacts with the keeper bar to urge the keeper bar into contact with one of parallel sides of the slot, to hold the keeper bar therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a vehicle having a vehicle body; a body element;   a member hinged to the vehicle body and overlapping said body element;   a compressible seal disposed between said body element and said member;   a keeper secured to one of said body element and said member;   a latch plate secured to the other one of said body element and said member, said latch plate having spaced walls defining a keeper receiving slot extending inwardly from the edge thereof, said walls defining an inner section having approximately parallel spaced sides for the reception of said keeper therebetween and a section having outwardly diverging sides for guiding said keeper to said inner section;   a latch member pivotally mounted on said latch plate for rotation between a latched and an open position;   a latch spring mounted on said latch plate urging said latch member toward the open position;   a detent pivotally mounted on said latch plate, said detent having a detent arm positioned to engage the perimeter of said latch member and an actuating arm;   a detent spring mounted on said latch plate urging said detent arm against the perimeter of said latch member;   said latch member having a latch portion, said latch portion having spaced recess walls defining a recess in an edge thereof, one of said recess walls being disposed across said keeper receiving slot in the path of said keeper entering said keeper receiving slot for rotation of said latch member to the latched position against the force of said latch spring in response to movement of said keeper into said keeper receiving slot, the opposite recess wall being positioned to move across said keeper receiving slot behind said keeper as said latch member moves toward the latched position to confine said keeper within said keeper receiving slot;   said opposite wall having a slanted face which is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a line along which said keeper moves to provide an arrangement in which, when said member hinged to the vehicle body overlaps said body element, said compressible seal is compressed to bias said keeper within said keeper receiving slot toward said slanted face to urge said keeper into firm engagement with one of said approximately parallel spaced sides.